The social novel, also known as the social problem (or social protest) novel, is a "work of fiction in which a prevailing social problem, such as gender, race, or class prejudice, is dramatized through its effect on the characters of a novel". More specific examples of social problems that are addressed in such works include poverty, conditions in factories and mines, the plight of child labor, violence against women, rising criminality, and

epidemic An epidemic (from Greek ἐπί ''epi'' "upon or above" and δῆμος ''demos'' "people") is the rapid spread of disease to a large number of patients among a given population within an area in a short period of time. Epidemics of infectious ...

s because of over-crowding and poor sanitation in cities. Terms like thesis novel, propaganda novel, industrial novel, working-class novel and problem novel are also used to describe this type of novel; a recent development in this genre is the young adult problem novel. It is also referred to as the sociological novel. The social protest novel is a form of social novel which places an emphasis on the idea of social change, while the

proletarian novel Proletarian literature refers here to the literature created by left-wing writers mainly for the class-conscious proletariat. Though the ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' states that because it "is essentially an intended device of revolution", it is t ...

is a political form of the social protest novel which may emphasize revolution. While early examples are found in 18th century Britain, social novels have been written throughout Europe and the United States.

Britain

Although this subgenre of the novel is usually seen as having its origins in the 19th century, there were precursors in the 18th century, like '' Amelia'' by Henry Fielding (1751), ''

Things as They Are; or, The Adventures of Caleb Williams ''Things as They Are; or The Adventures of Caleb Williams'' (1794; retitled ''The Adventures of Caleb Williams; or Things as They Are'' in 1831, and often abbreviated to ''Caleb Williams'') by William Godwin is a three-volume novel written as ...

'' (1794) by William Godwin, ''The Adventures of Hugh Trevor'' (1794–1797) by Thomas Holcroft, and '' Nature and Art'' (1796) by

Elizabeth Inchbald Elizabeth Inchbald (née Simpson, 15 October 1753 – 1 August 1821) was an English novelist, actress, dramatist, and translator. Her two novels, '' A Simple Story'' and '' Nature and Art'', have received particular critical attention. Life Bo ...

. However, whereas Inchbald laid responsibility for social problems with the depravity and corruption of individuals, Godwin, in ''Caleb Williams'', saw society's corruption as insurmountable. In England during the 1830s and 1840s the social novel "arose out of the social and political upheavals which followed the Reform Act of 1832". This was in many ways a reaction to rapid industrialization, and the social, political and economic issues associated with it, and was a means of commenting on abuses of government and industry and the suffering of the poor, who were not profiting from England's economic prosperity. These works were directed at the middle class to help create sympathy and promote change. The social novel is also referred to as the "Condition-of-England novel". The term derives from the " Condition-of-England Question", which was first raised by

Thomas Carlyle Thomas Carlyle (4 December 17955 February 1881) was a Scottish essayist, historian and philosopher. A leading writer of the Victorian era, he exerted a profound influence on 19th-century art, literature and philosophy. Born in Ecclefechan, ...

in ''Chartism'' (1839) and expanded upon in ''Past and Present'' (1843) and '' Latter-Day Pamphlets'' (1850). The Chartist movement was a working-class political reformist movement that sought universal male suffrage and other parliamentary reforms. Chartism failed as a parliamentary movement; however, five of the "Six Points" of Chartism would become a reality within a century of the group's formation. "Condition-of-England novels sought to engage directly with the contemporary social and political issues with a focus on the representation of class, gender, and labour relations, as well as on social unrest and the growing antagonism between the rich and the poor in England". Authors wrote in response to Carlyle's warning that "if something be not done, something will do itself one day, and in a fashion that will please nobody." A significant early example of this genre is ''

Sybil, or The Two Nations ''Sybil, or The Two Nations'' is an 1845 novel by Benjamin Disraeli. Published in the same year as Friedrich Engels's ''The Condition of the Working Class in England in 1844'', ''Sybil'' traces the plight of the working classes of England. Disra ...

'', a novel by Benjamin Disraeli. Published in the same year, 1845, as

Friedrich Engels Friedrich Engels ( ,"Engels"
'' The Condition of the Working Class in England in 1844'', ''Sybil'' traces the plight of the working classes of England. Disraeli was interested in dealing with the horrific conditions in which the majority of England's working classes lived. The book is a

roman à thèse A ''Roman à thèse'' (French: 'thesis novel') is a novel which is didactic or which expounds a theory. Scholar Susan Suleiman talked about "authoritarian fiction" List of ''romans à thèse'' * ''Candide'' by Voltaire * '' Sybil'' by Benjamin ...

, a novel with a thesis, which aimed to create a furor over the squalor that was plaguing England's working class cities. Disraeli's interest in this subject stemmed from his interest in the Chartist movement. Another early example of the social novel is Charles Kingsley's ''

Alton Locke ''Alton Locke'' is an 1850 novel, by Charles Kingsley, written in sympathy with the Chartist movement, in which Carlyle is introduced as one of the personages. Overview In this novel, Kingsley set out to expose the social injustice suffered b ...

'' (1849), a work that set out to expose the social injustice suffered by workers in the clothing trade as well as the trials and tribulations of agricultural labourers. It also gives an insight into the Chartist campaign with which Kingsley was involved in the 1840s. Elizabeth Gaskell's first industrial novel '' Mary Barton'' (1848) deals with relations between employers and workers, but its narrative adopted the view of the working poor and describes the "misery and hateful passions caused by the love of pursuing wealth as well as the egoism, thoughtlessness and insensitivity of manufacturers". In ''

North and South North and South may refer to: Literature * ''North and South'' (Gaskell novel), an 1854 novel by Elizabeth Gaskell * ''North and South'' (trilogy), a series of novels by John Jakes (1982–1987) ** ''North and South'' (Jakes novel), first novel ...

'' (1854–55), her second industrial, or social novel, Gaskell returns to the precarious situation of workers and their relations with industrialists, focusing more on the thinking and perspective of the employers. '' Shirley'' (1849), Charlotte Brontë's second published novel after ''

Jane Eyre ''Jane Eyre'' ( ; originally published as ''Jane Eyre: An Autobiography'') is a novel by the English writer Charlotte Brontë. It was published under her pen name "Currer Bell" on 19 October 1847 by Smith, Elder & Co. of London. The first ...

'', is also a social novel. Set in

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...

in the period 1811–12, during the industrial depression resulting from the

Napoleonic Wars The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fre ...

and the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It be ...

, the action in ''Shirley'' takes place against a backdrop of the

Luddite The Luddites were a secret oath-based organisation of English textile workers in the 19th century who formed a radical faction which destroyed textile machinery. The group is believed to have taken its name from Ned Ludd, a legendary weaver ...

uprisings in the Yorkshire textile industry. Social problems are also an important concern in the novels of

Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian er ...

, including in particular poverty and the unhealthy living conditions associated with it, the exploitation of ordinary people by money lenders, the corruption and incompetence of the legal system, as well as of the administration of the Poor Law. Dickens was a fierce critic of the poverty and social stratification of Victorian society. In a New York address, he expressed his belief that, "Virtue shows quite as well in rags and patches as she does in purple and fine linen." Dickens's second novel, '' Oliver Twist'' (1839), shocked readers with its images of poverty and crime: it destroyed middle class polemics about criminals, making any pretence to ignorance about what poverty entailed impossible.

's '' Hard Times'' (1854) is set in a small Midlands industrial town. It particularly criticizes the effect of Utilitarianism on the lives of the working classes in cities. John Ruskin declared ''Hard Times'' to be his favourite Dickens work due to its exploration of important social questions. Walter Allen characterised ''Hard Times'' as being an unsurpassed "critique of industrial society", though later superseded by works of

D. H. Lawrence David Herbert Lawrence (11 September 1885 – 2 March 1930) was an English writer, novelist, poet and essayist. His works reflect on modernity, industrialization, sexuality, emotional health, vitality, spontaneity and instinct. His best-k ...

Karl Marx Karl Heinrich Marx (; 5 May 1818 – 14 March 1883) was a German philosopher, economist, historian, sociologist, political theorist, journalist, critic of political economy, and socialist revolutionary. His best-known titles are the 1848 ...

asserted that Dickens "issued to the world more political and social truths than have been uttered by all the professional politicians, publicists and moralists put together".. On the other hand, George Orwell, in his essay on Dickens, wrote, "There is no clear sign that he wants the existing order to be overthrown, or that he believes it would make very much difference if it were overthrown. For in reality his target is not so much society as 'human nature'."

Continental Europe

Arguably,

Victor Hugo Victor-Marie Hugo (; 26 February 1802 – 22 May 1885) was a French Romantic writer and politician. During a literary career that spanned more than sixty years, he wrote in a variety of genres and forms. He is considered to be one of the great ...

's 1862 work ''

Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its origin ...

'' was the most significant social protest novel of the 19th century in Europe. His work touches upon most of the political and social issues and artistic trends of his time. Upton Sinclair described the novel as "one of the half-dozen greatest novels of the world," and remarked that Hugo set forth the purpose of ''Les Misérables'' in the ''Preface'': Among other French writers, Émile Zola's realist fiction contained many social protest works, including ''

L'Assommoir ''L'Assommoir'' , published as a serial in 1876, and in book form in 1877, is the seventh novel in Émile Zola's twenty-volume series '' Les Rougon-Macquart''. Usually considered one of Zola's masterpieces, the novel — a study of alcoholism and p ...

'' (1877), which deals with life in an urban slum; and '' Germinal'' (1885), which is about a coal miners' strike. In his work-notes for the latter novel, Zola described it as posing what was to be the next century's, "'the twentieth century's most important question', namely the conflict between the forces of modern

Capitalism Capitalism is an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production and their operation for profit. Central characteristics of capitalism include capital accumulation, competitive markets, price system, private ...

and the interests of the human beings necessary to its advance." Both Hugo and Zola were politically engaged, and suffered exile due to their political positions. Russian author

Leo Tolstoy Count Lev Nikolayevich TolstoyTolstoy pronounced his first name as , which corresponds to the romanization ''Lyov''. () (; russian: link=no, Лев Николаевич Толстой,In Tolstoy's day, his name was written as in pre-refor ...

championed reform for his own country, particularly in education. Tolstoy did not consider his most famous work, '' War and Peace'', to be a novel (nor did he consider many of the great Russian fictions written at that time to be novels). This view becomes less surprising if one considers that Tolstoy was a novelist of the realist school who considered the novel to be a framework for the examination of social and political issues in nineteenth-century life. ''War and Peace'' (which was to Tolstoy really an epic in prose) therefore did not qualify. Tolstoy thought that '' Anna Karenina'' was his first true novel.

America

An early American example is Harriet Beecher Stowe's anti-slavery novel '' Uncle Tom's Cabin'' (1852). The terms "thesis novel" and "propaganda novel" are also used to describe it, because it is "strongly weighted to convert the reader to the author's stand" on the subject of slavery. There is an apocryphal tale told that when Stowe met

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation throu ...

in Washington in November 1862, the president greeted her by saying, "So you are the little woman who wrote the book that started this great war." Mark Twain's work '' Huckleberry Finn'' (1884) is another early American social protest novel. Much of modern scholarship of ''Huckleberry Finn'' has focused on its treatment of race. Many Twain scholars have argued that the book, by humanizing Jim and exposing the fallacies of the racist assumptions of slavery, is an attack on racism. Others have argued that the book falls short on this score, especially in its depiction of Jim. According to Professor Stephen Railton of the University of Virginia, Twain was unable to fully rise above the stereotypes of Black people that white readers of his era expected and enjoyed, and therefore resorted to minstrel show-style comedy to provide humor at Jim's expense, and ended up confirming rather than challenging late-19th century racist stereotypes. John Steinbeck's Pulitzer Prize-winning 1939 novel '' The Grapes of Wrath'' often is cited as the most successful social protest novel of the 20th century. Part of its impact stemmed from its passionate depiction of the plight of the poor, and in fact, many of Steinbeck's contemporaries attacked his social and political views. Bryan Cordyack writes, "Steinbeck was attacked as a propagandist and a

socialist Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes the ...

from both the left and the right of the political spectrum. The most fervent of these attacks came from the Associated Farmers of California; they were displeased with the book's depiction of California farmers' attitudes and conduct toward the migrants. They denounced the book as a 'pack of lies' and labeled it 'communist propaganda'. Some accused Steinbeck of exaggerating camp conditions to make a political point. Steinbeck had visited the camps well before publication of the novel and argued their inhumane nature destroyed the settlers' spirit. First Lady

Eleanor Roosevelt Anna Eleanor Roosevelt () (October 11, 1884November 7, 1962) was an American political figure, diplomat, and activist. She was the first lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945, during her husband President Franklin D. Roosevelt's four ...

championed Steinbeck's book against his detractors, and helped bring about Congressional hearings on the conditions in migrant farmer camps that led to changes in federal labor law. Upton Sinclair's 1906 novel '' The Jungle'', based on the meatpacking industry in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

, was first published in serial form in the

newspaper '' Appeal to Reason'' from February 25, 1905 to November 4, 1905. Sinclair had spent about six months investigating the Chicago meatpacking industry for ''Appeal to Reason'', work which inspired his novel. Sinclair intended to "set forth the breaking of human hearts by a system which exploits the labor of men and women for profit". His descriptions of the unsanitary and inhumane conditions that workers suffered served to shock and galvanize readers. The writer

Jack London John Griffith Chaney (January 12, 1876 – November 22, 1916), better known as Jack London, was an American novelist, journalist and activist. A pioneer of commercial fiction and American magazines, he was one of the first American authors to ...

called Sinclair's book "the '' Uncle Tom's Cabin'' of wage slavery". Domestic and foreign purchases of American meat fell by half. The novel brought public support for Congressional legislation and government regulation of the industry, including passage of the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act. A more recent social novel is

Richard Wright Richard Wright may refer to: Arts * Richard Wright (author) (1908–1960), African-American novelist * Richard B. Wright (1937–2017), Canadian novelist * Richard Wright (painter) (1735–1775), marine painter * Richard Wright (artist) (born 19 ...

's 1940 novel '' Native Son''. Wright's protest novel was an immediate best-seller, selling 250,000 hardcover copies within three weeks of its publication by the

Book-of-the-Month Club Book of the Month (founded 1926) is a United States subscription-based e-commerce service that offers a selection of five to seven new hardcover books each month to its members. Books are selected and endorsed by a panel of judges, and members ...

on March 1, 1940. It was one of the earliest successful attempts to explain the racial divide in America in terms of the social conditions imposed on African-Americans by the dominant white society. It also made Wright the wealthiest Black writer of his time and established him as a spokesperson for African-American issues, and the "father of Black American literature." As

Irving Howe Irving Howe (; June 11, 1920 – May 5, 1993) was an American literary and social critic and a prominent figure of the Democratic Socialists of America. Early years Howe was born as Irving Horenstein in The Bronx, New York. He was the son of ...

said in his 1963 essay "Black Boys and Native Sons," "The day ''Native Son'' appeared, American culture was changed forever. No matter how much qualifying the book might later need, it made impossible a repetition of the old lies .. andbrought out into the open, as no one ever had before, the hatred, fear, and violence that have crippled and may yet destroy our culture." However, the book was criticized by some of Wright's fellow African-American writers. James Baldwin's 1949 essay "Everybody's Protest Novel" dismissed ''Native Son'' as protest fiction, and therefore limited in its understanding of human character and its artistic value. James Baldwin's novels and plays fictionalize fundamental personal questions and dilemmas amid complex social and psychological pressures thwarting the equitable integration of not only Blacks yet also of male homosexuals, depicting as well some internalized impediments to such individuals' quest for acceptance, namely in his second novel, '' Giovanni's Room'' (1956), written well before the equality of homosexuals was widely espoused in America. p. 158, pp. 148-200 Baldwin's best-known novel is his first, '' Go Tell It on the Mountain'' (1953).

Proletarian novel

The proletarian novel, according to the ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' comes out of the direct experience of working class life and "is essentially an intended device of revolution", while works by middle-class novelists, like William Godwin's '' Caleb Williams'' (1794) and

' '' Hard Times'', though they are sympathetic to the hardships experienced by worker, "are more concerned with the imposition of reform from above than with revolution from within". The Russian Maksim Gorky, is an example of a proletarian writer, however, in the

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...

the proletarian novel was doomed to disappear "in the form that Gorky knew, for it is the essence of the revolutionary novel to possess vitality and validity only when written under capitalist 'tyranny'". But the proletarian novel has also been categorized without any emphasis on revolution, as a novel "about the working classes and working-class life; perhaps with the intention of making propaganda", and this may reflect a difference between Russian, American and other traditions of working-class writing, with that of Britain (see below). The United States has had a number of working-class, socialist authors, such as

, Upton Sinclair, and John Dos Passos. London wrote from a socialist viewpoint, which is evident in his novel '' The Iron Heel''. Neither a theorist nor an intellectual socialist, London's socialism grew out of his life experience. As London explained in his essay, "How I Became a Socialist", his views were influenced by his experience with people at the bottom of the social pit. His optimism and individualism faded, and he vowed never to do more hard physical work than necessary. He wrote that his individualism was hammered out of him, and he was politically reborn. He often closed his letters "Yours for the Revolution." During the 1930s and 1940s Michael Gold (1894–1967) (the pen-name of Jewish American writer Itzok Isaac Granich) was considered the pre-eminent author and editor of U.S.

proletarian literature Proletarian literature refers here to the literature created by left-wing writers mainly for the class-conscious proletariat. Though the '' Encyclopædia Britannica'' states that because it "is essentially an intended device of revolution", it is ...

. A lifelong communist, Gold was a novelist and literary critic. His semi- autobiographical novel '' Jews without Money'' (1930) was a bestseller. Other American examples of the proletarian novel include

Agnes Smedley Agnes Smedley (February 23, 1892 – May 6, 1950) was an American journalist, writer, and activist who supported the Indian Independence Movement and the Chinese Communist Revolution. Raised in a poverty-stricken miner's family in Missouri and Co ...

's ''

Daughter of Earth ''Daughter of Earth'' (1929) is an autobiographical novel by the American author and journalist Agnes Smedley. The novel chronicles the years of Marie Rogers's tumultuous childhood, struggles in relationships with men (both physical and emotional) ...

'' (1929),

Robert Cantwell Robert Emmett Cantwell (January 31, 1908 – December 8, 1978), known as Robert Cantwell, was a novelist and critic. His first novel, ''Laugh and Lie Down'' (1931) is an early example, twenty years before Jack Kerouac, of the American classic gen ...

's ''Land of Plenty'' (1934), Albert Halper's ''The Foundry'' (1934) and Albert Maltz's ''The Underground Stream'' (1940); other writers include James T. Farrell, Josephine Herbst, Tillie Olsen, and

Meridel Le Sueur Meridel Le Sueur (February 22, 1900, Murray, Iowa – November 14, 1996, Hudson, Wisconsin) was an American writer associated with the proletarian literature movement of the 1930s and 1940s. Born as Meridel Wharton, she assumed the name of her mot ...

. However, the British tradition of working class writing was not solely inspired by the

Communist Party A communist party is a political party that seeks to realize the socio-economic goals of communism. The term ''communist party'' was popularized by the title of '' The Manifesto of the Communist Party'' (1848) by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engel ...

, as it also involved

socialists Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes the econ ...

and anarchists. Furthermore, writing about the British working-class writers, H Gustav Klaus, in ''The Socialist Novel: Towards the Recovery of a Tradition'', as long ago as 1982, suggested that "the once current erm'proletarian' is, internationally, on the retreat, while the competing concepts of 'working class' and 'socialist' continue to command about equal adherence". The word proletarian is sometimes, however, used to describe works about the working class by actual working class authors, to distinguish them from works by middle class authors, like

's '' Hard Times'' and Henry Green's ''Living''.

Walter Greenwood Walter Greenwood (17 December 1903 – 13 September 1974) was an English novelist, best known for the socially influential novel ''Love on the Dole'' (1933). Early life Greenwood was born at 56 Ellor Street, his father's house and hairdres ...

's '' Love on the Dole'' (1933) has been described as an "excellent example" of an English proletarian novel It was written during the early 1930s as a response to the crisis of unemployment, which was being felt locally, nationally, and internationally. It is set in Hanky Park, an industrial slum in Salford, where Greenwood was born and brought up. The novel begins around the time of the General Strike of 1926, but its main action takes place in 1931.

Young adult problem novel

The young adult problem novel deals with an adolescent's first confrontation with a social, or personal problem. The term was first used this way in the late 1960s with reference to contemporary works like '' The Outsiders'', a

coming-of-age novel In literary criticism, a ''Bildungsroman'' (, plural ''Bildungsromane'', ) is a literary genre that focuses on the psychological and moral growth of the protagonist from childhood to adulthood (coming of age), in which character change is impor ...

S. E. Hinton Susan Eloise Hinton (born July 22, 1948) is an American writer best known for her young-adult novels (YA) set in Oklahoma, especially '' The Outsiders'' (1967), which she wrote during high school. Hinton is credited with introducing the YA gen ...

, first published in 1967. The adolescent problem novel is rather loosely defined. Rose Mary Honnold in ''The Teen Reader's Advisor'' defines them as dealing more with characters from lower-class families and their problems; and as using "grittier", more realistic language, including dialects, profanity, and poor grammar, when it fits the character and setting. Hinton's ''The Outsiders'' (1967) and Paul Zindel's '' The Pigman'' (1968) are problem novels written specifically for teenagers. However,

Sheila Egoff Sheila Agnes Egoff (January 20, 1918 – May 22, 2005) was a Canadian librarian, literary critic, and historian who was Canada's first professor of children's literature. A recipient of the Order of Canada, she was known for her studies of chil ...

notes in ''Thursday's Child: Trends and Patterns in Contemporary Children's Literature'' that the

Newbery Award The John Newbery Medal, frequently shortened to the Newbery, is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), to the author of "the most distinguished contr ...

-winning novel ''

It's Like This, Cat ''It's Like This, Cat'' is a novel by American writer Emily Cheney Neville, which won the Newbery Medal for excellence in American children's literature in 1964. ''It's Like This, Cat'' was Neville's first book. Plot summary The main characte ...

'' (1963) by

Emily Cheney Neville Emily Cheney Neville (December 28, 1919 – December 14, 1997) was an American author. She was born in Manchester, Connecticut and graduated from Bryn Mawr College in 1940. She then worked for the ''New York Daily News'' and the ''New Yo ...

may have established "the problem novel formula". ''

Go Ask Alice ''Go Ask Alice'' is a 1971 book about a teenage girl who develops a drug addiction at age 15 and runs away from home on a journey of self-destructive escapism. Attributed to "Anonymous", the book is in diary form, and was originally presented as ...

'' (1971) is an early example of the subgenre and is often considered an example of the negative aspects of the form (although the author is "Anonymous", it is largely or wholly the work of its purported editor, Beatrice Sparks). A more recent example is

Adam Rapp Adam Rapp (born June 15, 1968) is an American novelist, playwright, screenwriter, musician and film director. His play ''Red Light Winter'' was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2006. Early life Rapp was born in Chicago to Mary Lee (née Baird; die ...

's ''The Buffalo Tree'' (1997).

Other social novels

* '' Bleak House'' by

(1853) focuses on the corrupt, inefficient English legal system, and comments on the suffering of the poor. * '' Little Dorrit'' by Charles Dickens (1857) is a work of

satire Satire is a genre of the visual, literary, and performing arts, usually in the form of fiction and less frequently non-fiction, in which vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, often with the intent of shaming o ...

on the shortcomings of the government and society of the period. * '' Felix Holt'' by George Eliot (1866) is a social novel written about political disputes in a small English town at the time of the First Reform Act of 1832. * '' The Outpost'' by Bolesław Prus (1886), written in a Poland that had been partitioned a century earlier by Russia, Prussia and Austria, portrays the plight of rural

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...

, contending with poverty, ignorance, neglect by the upper crust, and colonization by

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

settlers backed by Otto von Bismarck's German government. * ''Out of Work'' (1888) by

Margaret Harkness Margaret Elise Harkness aka John Law (28 February 1854 – 10 December 1923) was an English radical journalist and writer. Life Harkness was born on 28 February 1854 at Upton-on-Severn in Worcestershire. Work After attending a finishing sch ...

: "In her slum novels, Margaret Harkness highlighted such social problems as social degradation, poverty, philanthropy, and oppression of women". * '' The Doll'' by Bolesław Prus (1889) draws a comprehensive, compelling picture of late-19th century partitioned Poland, mired in societal inertia. * ''

Sister Carrie ''Sister Carrie'' (1900) is a novel by Theodore Dreiser (1871-1945) about a young woman who moves to the big city where she starts realizing her own American Dream. She first becomes a mistress to men that she perceives as superior, but later ...

'' by Theodore Dreiser (1900) is an influential example of Naturalism and a major American urban novel. Amongst other things it explores how industrialization affected the American people. * '' The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists'' (1914) by Robert Tressell is an explicitly political work, widely regarded as a classic of working-class literature. * ''

U.S.A. Trilogy The ''U.S.A.'' trilogy is a series of three novels by American writer John Dos Passos, comprising the novels ''The 42nd Parallel'' (1930), ''1919'' (1932) and ''The Big Money'' (1936). The books were first published together in a volume titled ' ...

'' by John Dos Passos: ''The 42nd Parallel'' (1930), ''1919'' (1932), and ''The Big Money'' (1936). In the 1930s Dos Passos was a social revolutionary who saw the United States as two nations, one rich and one poor. In 1928, he spent several months in

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-ei ...

studying their

system, and he was a leading participator in the April 1935 First American Writers Congress sponsored by the Communist-leaning League of American Writers. * '' Studs Lonigan Trilogy'' by James T. Farrell: '' Young Lonigan'' (1932), '' The Young Manhood of Studs Lonigan'' (1934), '' Judgment Day'' (1935). Farrell wrote these three novels during the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

, at a time of national despair, with the intention of exposing the evils of

capitalism Capitalism is an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production and their operation for profit. Central characteristics of capitalism include capital accumulation, competitive markets, price system, private ...

and desiring a total overhaul of the American political and economic system. * ''

To Have and Have Not ''To Have and Have Not'' is a novel by Ernest Hemingway published in 1937 by Charles Scribner's Sons. The book follows Harry Morgan, a fishing boat captain out of Key West, Florida. ''To Have and Have Not'' was Hemingway's second novel set in th ...

'' by

Ernest Hemingway Ernest Miller Hemingway (July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961) was an American novelist, short-story writer, and journalist. His economical and understated style—which he termed the iceberg theory—had a strong influence on 20th-century f ...

(1936) is a social commentary on the 1930s, that was heavily influenced by Marxist ideology, as Hemingway was on the side of the Republicans in the

Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War ( es, Guerra Civil Española)) or The Revolution ( es, La Revolución, link=no) among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War ( es, Cuarta Guerra Carlista, link=no) among Carlism, Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebeli ...

as he was writing it. * ''

Johnny Got His Gun ''Johnny Got His Gun'' is an anti-war novel written in 1938 by American novelist Dalton Trumbo and published in September 1939 by J. B. Lippincott. The novel won one of the early National Book Awards: the Most Original Book of 1939. A 1971 fil ...

'' by Dalton Trumbo (1939) is an anti-war novel written in 1938 by American novelist and screenwriter Dalton Trumbo. The novel won one of the early

National Book Awards The National Book Awards are a set of annual U.S. literary awards. At the final National Book Awards Ceremony every November, the National Book Foundation presents the National Book Awards and two lifetime achievement awards to authors. The Na ...

: the Most Original Book of 1939."1939 Book Awards Given by Critics: Elgin Groseclose's 'Ararat' is Picked ...", ''The New York Times'', 1940-02-14, page 25. ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851-2007). * '' Blood on the Forge'' by

William Attaway William Alexander Attaway (November 19, 1911 – June 17, 1986) was an African-American novelist, short story writer, essayist, songwriter, playwright, and screenwriter. Biography Early life Attaway was born on November 19, 1911, in Greenvil ...

(1941) provides social commentary on African-American experiences during the early twentieth century, particularly for those who joined the Great Migration northward from the miseries of

sharecropping Sharecropping is a legal arrangement with regard to agricultural land in which a landowner allows a tenant to use the land in return for a share of the crops produced on that land. Sharecropping has a long history and there are a wide range ...

, only to be met with brutal treatment in the mills of the industrializing north. * ''

Invisible Man ''Invisible Man'' is a novel by Ralph Ellison, published by Random House in 1952. It addresses many of the social and intellectual issues faced by African Americans in the early twentieth century, including black nationalism, the relationship ...

'' by

Ralph Ellison Ralph Waldo Ellison (March 1, 1913 – April 16, 1994) was an American writer, literary critic, and scholar best known for his novel ''Invisible Man'', which won the National Book Award in 1953. He also wrote '' Shadow and Act'' (1964), a collec ...

(1952) addresses many of the social and intellectual issues facing African-Americans in the mid-twentieth century, including Black nationalism, the relationship between Black identity and Marxism, and the reformist racial policies of

Booker T. Washington Booker Taliaferro Washington (April 5, 1856November 14, 1915) was an American educator, author, orator, and adviser to several presidents of the United States. Between 1890 and 1915, Washington was the dominant leader in the African-American c ...

, as well as issues of individuality and personal identity. * ''

Burger's Daughter ''Burger's Daughter'' is a political and historical novel by the South African Nobel Prize in Literature-winner Nadine Gordimer, first published in the United Kingdom in June 1979 by Jonathan Cape. The book was expected to be banned in South Af ...

'' (1979) by Nadine Gordimer. Many of Gordimer's works have explored the impact of

apartheid Apartheid (, especially South African English: , ; , "aparthood") was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. Apartheid was ...

on individuals in South Africa. In ''Burger's Daughter'' a theme, that is present in several of her novels, is that of racially divided societies in which well-meaning whites unexpectedly encounter a side of Black life they did not know about.Gardner, Susan (1990). "A Story for This Place and Time: An Interview with Nadine Gordimer about Burger's Daughter". In Bazin, Nancy Topping; Seymour, Marilyn Dallman. Conversations with Nadine Gordimer. Univ. Press of Mississippi. pp. 161–175. * ''

The Man Who Wouldn't Stand Up ''The Man Who Wouldn't Stand Up'' won the 2013 International Rubery Book Award and is a 2012 satiricalJacob M. Appel addresses efforts to suppress freedom of expression during the

war on terror The war on terror, officially the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), is an ongoing international counterterrorism military campaign initiated by the United States following the September 11 attacks. The main targets of the campaign are militant ...

. * Notably '' Demons'' (1862) by Fyodor Dostoevsky as well as '' House of the Dead'', ''

Notes from Underground ''Notes from Underground'' ( pre-reform Russian: ; post-reform Russian: ; also translated as ''Notes from the Underground'' or ''Letters from the Underworld'') is a novella by Fyodor Dostoevsky, first published in the journal ''Epoch'' in 1864. ...

'', '' Crime and Punishment'', '' The Brothers Karamazov'', but nearly every novel, short story, and journal written by Dostoevsky after his imprisonment in Siberia for anti-government activity is classifiable as such.

Notes

External links

* See: Thomas Carlyle's
The Condition of England
'

by Priya Shetty, ''

New Scientist ''New Scientist'' is a magazine covering all aspects of science and technology. Based in London, it publishes weekly English-language editions in the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia. An editorially separate organisation publish ...

'', 14 January 2009. Subscription needed * https://web.archive.org/web/20090222034241/http://www.readbookonline.net/title/275/ {{DEFAULTSORT:Social Novel Literary genres